Vegan Lemon Cream Pasta with Arugula

One of the things I love in theory about Mark Bittman’s pasta recipes in the New York Times is that they’re super-simple and yet they also use unique combinations of ingredients that make the dish creative and unexpected. Unfortunately, they also rely heavily on dairy – cream, butter, and cheese.

The good thing is that there are vegan alternatives to every dairy product. So when my mom told that she was making this recipe for she and my dad (they’re not vegan), I thought I bet I can make a veganized version of this that’s even tastier!

The recipe is essentially spaghetti, butter, cream, and arugula with parmesan on top. In lieu of butter, I used Earth Balance and extra virgin olive oil; instead of cream, I subbed with full-fat coconut milk; and instead of parmesan, I used hemp seeds.

I’ve been experimenting with vegan versions of Mark Bittman’s pasta recipes and this one is a cut above the rest. Arugula brings a sharp, peppery taste to the dish, and the “cream” (coconut milk) gives it a rich and decadent texture. Topped with hemp seeds, which to me is just like parmesan but so much tastier, the dish becomes even more dynamic and flavorful.

What’s more, it’s one of the easiest recipes I’ve ever made! It takes minimal effort – and I mean really minimal, especially if you get pre-washed arugula. You can literally combine the ingredients in under a minute, after you’ve cooked the pasta.